1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wheeled transport devices for small water craft, such as rowboats, canoes, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,792,232; 4,601,481; 4,936,595; 5,425,326; and 5,791,279, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse wheeled transport devices for canoes and rowboats.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical way of transporting both rowboats and canoes.
As most fishermen and recreational boaters are well aware, most wheeled transport devices for one type of common personal water craft such as the canoe are usually totally unsuited for the other equally common type of personal water craft, the rowboat.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved type of wheeled transport device that is equally adept at transporting either a canoe or a rowboat, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the transport device for rowboats and canoes that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general, a support unit, a transport unit, and a securing unit.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the support unit comprises an enlarged generally thick, flat, rectangular support member having an upper surface provided with a central flat bottomed recess that is dimensioned to receive the keel of a canoe wherein the upper ends of the central recess are curved and the upper surface of the support member may be optionally provided with a high friction coating to resist the lateral translation of the bottom of the water craft relative to the support member.
In addition, the bottom of the support unit is provided with a downwardly depending stem element that is operatively connected to the transport unit which includes a conventional wheel and axle assembly wherein the wheels are disposed beneath the opposed sides of the enlarged rectangular support member.
Furthermore, the securing unit comprises a quick release mechanism which employs a length of chain connected on one side of the support member and a resilient strap connected on the other side of the support member wherein the free end of the resilient strap is provided with a hook adapted to engage a selected link in the chain to captively engage one end of a canoe or rowboat to the transport device.